Taiwanese Companies Smile at the Arrival of Tesla Robotaxi [Taiwan Chip News]

High-Performance Computing Needed for Core Function Operation
Mass Purchase of Dell AI Servers... Wistron Expected to Benefit
"AI Server Sales Projected to Grow Triple-Digit This Year"

Tesla's autonomous driving robo (unmanned) taxi, set to be unveiled on the 10th of next month, was leaked online while undergoing test drives in California, USA. To operate the core functions of the robo taxi, high-performance computing is required, and to this end, Tesla plans to build the core infrastructure of the robo taxi by purchasing a large number of AI servers from the American PC and server manufacturer Dell.

Tesla's autonomous driving robotaxi will be unveiled on the 10th of next month. The photo shows the robotaxi, leaked online, undergoing test driving in California, USA.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

This demand is expected to significantly increase Dell's AI server shipments. Accordingly, Wistron, a Taiwanese partner company that manufactures Dell's AI servers, is also anticipated to see a surge in orders due to Tesla's large-scale purchase. Dell has secured a large order for AI servers from Tesla and stated that AI server demand continues to be strong, with order volumes reaching saturation. Dell has raised its sales and profit forecasts for this year. Industry experts expect Wistron to greatly benefit from the increase in Dell's AI server shipments, considering that Wistron, a supplier of Nvidia's AI server boards, also secured a large-scale contract for Dell's AI server motherboards last year.

Wistron's CEO, Lin Jianxun, recently stated that the supply of AI servers will not catch up with demand at least until the end of next year. He also mentioned that supply conditions will improve next year compared to this year, with strong demand not only from cloud service provider clients but also from general corporate customers. Wistron's AI server shipments in the second quarter recorded double-digit growth. Wistron expects AI server-related sales to continue growing in double digits in the third quarter of this year as well. Furthermore, the total AI server sales for this year are projected to increase monthly, achieving a high triple-digit annual growth rate.

The robo taxi is designed primarily for autonomous driving and does not have a steering wheel or pedals. Recently, a vehicle covered with a yellow camouflage and lacking rear cameras was spotted driving autonomously at Warner Brothers Studio in California, USA. As related photos quickly spread online, speculation arose that this vehicle is a test drive unit for Tesla's robo taxi ahead of its official unveiling event. The capture of this vehicle before the official announcement suggests that the design modifications of the robo taxi are in the final stages.

According to insiders at Tesla, the robo taxi is expected to support wireless ultra-fast charging and feature an automatic disinfection function, along with a system capable of efficiently managing multiple robo taxis. According to the NotATesla app, which covers Tesla software updates, Tesla reportedly holds four patents related to wireless charging. These patents include applications of wireless charging using temperature sensors, circuit breaker switches, wireless charging circuits, and manufacturing methods. Regarding automatic disinfection, Tesla secured a new patent this year. This patent involves technology that detects current environmental conditions in an enclosed space and automatically generates and executes a cleaning process based on those conditions.

Unlike Waymo, a US autonomous vehicle company that manages vehicles in cooperation with Uber, Tesla is said to be capable of managing a large fleet of vehicles through its own advanced AI-based system. Tesla's AI system anonymously collects and processes data to predict and resolve potential issues. It also continuously improves prediction accuracy through machine learning technology. Ultimately, Tesla is analyzing autonomous vehicle operation data through its self-developed AI system and using this to enhance its vehicle management system.

To implement these technologies, Tesla requires powerful computing performance. To this end, Tesla is purchasing Dell's AI servers in large quantities and building its own AI supercomputer, "Cortex," to train the core infrastructure of the robo taxi.

Taiwan Economic Daily News = Reporter Lin Yilu / Translation = Asia Economy

※This article is reprinted based on a strategic partnership between this publication and Taiwan Economic Daily News.